Labor Day 2009 was also the 5th annual Krystal square off......... yes..... seriously....
Wes and I struggle with finding new things to do. As I'm sure most couples do (right, please comment and confirm we are not alone in this!!!!) So somehow, Wes comes across this event at the landing. We are each at our computers when we have this conversation: (via loud voices down the hall way, this is how all couples inneract right?? again are we alone?)
Wes - "Honey?!?!"
Jess - "yeah?"
Wes - "You know how we're always looking for something different to do n stuff right?"
Jess - "uhhhh yeah"
Wes - "well, there is a pro eating cometition at the landing on labor day"
Jess - "ummm ok, we can check that out.... definately different!"
that was it, that was the converstation and we had just made our plans for Labor Day!!!!! (please tell me there are people rolling around on their floors now histarically laughing at us, cause honestly YOU SHOULD BE!)
So yesterday we head down to
The Landing for the 5th Annual
Krystal Square Off with my brother, his cousin, Wes' buddy from work and his new wife (welcome to Jax Laura!!!! LOL) We decided early that we were just going to keep our spots in the Landing balcony and watch the action from there. We learn that this is a sanctioned event, the winner will get like $50k in the finals for dowing some Krystals!!!! This event was however only a semi-final the winner would go onto to the Final in TN later in teh year for the chance at the $50k. They pulled names from the crowd, you know to give an every day Joe the opportunity to go onto the next round, and had a couple of um pros I guess they can be called.... one being
Hall Hoover Hunt down home boy from Jacksonville who was also the 2008 record holder of 60 Krystals in 8mins! (are you still laughing, please God tell me you're still laughing it's hard for me to keep a straight face typing this!)
So yes, Florida record holder eating 60 of those little gut bombs in 8 mins!!!!!
This is like a serious thing, it's a "growing" sport in our contry and everything.... I just can't believe people are making that much money eating!!!!!
Ok I'll let the photos to tell the rest of the story.....
The stage was set.....
A pretty good crowd had come down to the landing on Labor Day..... and there were kids playing at downtown's only beach... (still not 100% sure what was up with that, I guess I missed something earlier in the summer about this cause it was def different to see the landing covered in sand)
There's the trophy! well not him.... but I couldn't resist.......
Some of the onlookers
the "eh I'm good up here" crowd (like us)
The guy with the face paint.... anyone remember the hangman from pro wrestling years and years ago (here I go dating myself, lovely) ummmm that would be him there in the black hand with the red white and blue face!
This guy was PSYCHED when his name was called to be a contestant.....
psyched I tell you
and he loved his new, ever supportive, cheering crowd
Competitive Eating is the fastest growing new sport in our country.... so proud
Annnnnnd their off!!!!!
you'll see the newly excited competor on the left having a hard time, maybe this sport isn't as easy as it looks... while our champ in the blue hat to the right is powering down the tiny slider sandwiches with little to no effort at all!!!!
In the end, Hall "Hoover" Hunt not only won the competition but beat his own Florida record of 60 Krystal hamburgers by eating 65 Krystals and he is onto the next round and could win FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!! Good luck Hoover!!!!!! I hope you bring home the big bucks!!!!!
From the landing we were off to find something else to occupy our time, so we decided to go see Inglourious BasterdsIf you're easily offended by curse words (and since I'm married to a Sailor I obviously am not) then I'd suggest that you not see the movie, but Brad Pitt does a really really great job with his part, and I actually thought it was pretty good, but then again I'm a fan of Tarentino's work.....
We then finished our day with..... ummm.... a hamburger at the loop.... :)